The Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies began the new school year Wednesday with 775 students and a new principal.
“Today is great,” said Dr. Leah Lane. “It’s been wonderful.”
The former Dare County educator described her first opening day of school as principal at NEAAAT as “a learning experience.”
“We’re super excited,” she said.
NEAAAT serves students and grades 5-12 and enrollment has grown every year since the school first opened in 2015. Last year, the charter school welcomed 765 students on the first day and in 2022 the school year opened with 759 students.
The school faculty is prepared this year to teach the record-number of students, according to Lane.
“We’re fully staffed, which is exciting,” she said.
This year’s student body includes several students who are dual enrolled at College of The Albemarle, Elizabeth City State University and some even at Martin Community College in Martin County, Lane said.
In June, NEAAAT announced that Lane had been named successor to former Principal T.J. Worrell, who left at the end of the school year to become principal at D.H. Conley High School in Pitt County.
“Everybody here has been very supportive,” Lane said. “There are lots of experienced teachers here.”
Lane has more than 20 years of experience in education, including experience at charter, magnet and traditional public schools. Lane most recently worked as the Multi-Tiered System of Support coordinator for Dare County Schools, but she also once served as an assistant principal at Pasquotank County High School.
NEAAAT first opened in 2015 in classroom space on the campus of ECSU. In 2020, NEAAAT opened the school year in its current location in the former Southgate Mall, now known as Southgate Park.
Dr. Andrew Harris has served as the school’s chief executive officer since it first opened.
NEAAAT was one of two area schools that opened for the first day of school on Wednesday. JP Knapp Early College High School in Currituck also opened for the first day of the 2024-25 school year on Wednesday.
Most other area school districts, excepting the Currituck County Schools, will open for the new school year on Monday, Aug. 26. The Currituck schools will open on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Two other early colleges in the area — Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Early College and Camden County Early College — will open next week. ECP opens on Monday and Camden Early College opens on Tuesday.
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